


Happiness and Love prevail

by TheSasaWorker



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Cooking, Dorks in Love, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Love, Love Confessions, Sleeping Together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:40:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22557271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSasaWorker/pseuds/TheSasaWorker
Summary: First time I'm writing anything, so please bear with me. This is(or is meant to be) a post-game multi-chapter fluff fic based on Pyrex.Special thanks to tbat & starchitect for all the inspiration and words of encouragement.
Relationships: Hikari | Mythra/Nia, Homura | Pyra/Rex
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	1. Meeting the Aegis... again.

As he was aboard SS Azurda, Rex was trying to cope with the loss of Pyra. He was idly sitting atop Gramps' grass patch letting his thoughts flood his mind: "What would he do from that point on? Who would he stay with?". There were a lot of unanswered questions, but the most prominent one came from the back of his mind: _"Will he ever find another soulmate?"._

He stood there alone for quite a long time, only getting the occasional greeting, or generic "How are you doing, Rex?" from his friends. He started imagining what could've occured had Pyra survived the blast- and with that thought came the urge to cry, knowing that he'll never find out. Just as he was about to succumb to his sadness, the cross-shaped core crystal suddenly lit up. Not even a second later, two bright lights appeared in front of him - one red, one yellow. Those phantasms then vanished from existence, letting the silhouette of two girls take over. 

The group immediately realized who they were and rushed over to greet them, Poppi Alpha taking the lead and giving a tight hug to the blonde, Mythra. Rex stopped dead in his tracks, not knowing what to do; it was as if his brain completely shut down for the next few seconds. Suddenly, someone gave him a slight shove from behind, prompting him to come to his senses. Upon turning around, Nia, his Gormotti, yellow jumpsuit wearing 'friend' whispered to him:  
"Rex, you **idiot**. Now's your chance. Go for it!", then pointed towards the redheaded girl, appropiately named Pyra. Rex then apprehensively started inching towards her, not having the slightest idea what to do. He rotated his head every now and then to look at Nia, desperately pleading for help, to which she replied with:

"Go already! Just be yourself, and let the feelings flow through!"

As he was slowly but surely approaching Pyra, his head was focused on Nia's words of encouragement, and what they could mean. A few seconds later it clicked- and so, he got the confidence he desperately needed and broke into a sprint until he reached her, pulling her into a tight embrace. 

That was the moment when tears began to freely flow out of his eyes.

In the meantime, Pyra wasn't doing too great either. She knew from the get-go Rex would be devastated by her loss, and it seems she was right. She had hoped that she could calm down Rex with a simple "I'm sorry", but in the back of her mind she knew it wouldn't be enough knowing Rex.

And she was right. The moment she saw the boy's face covered in tears, she knew she had to fix it- but how?  
Almost instictively, Pyra whispered inside her mind:

\- Hey Mythra, you there? I need y- **oh**.

Mythra was gone from her mind, and so was she from Mythra's- they were now two different blades... no, persons. 

Pyra started searching for a way to calm Rex down at least until she's able to properly talk to him. After what felt like hours, she found nothing. She had no idea how to solve this- but she had to at least attempt to do it, and so she decided upon listening to her heart.

She readied her hands for a hug, trying to predict Rex's next move- and she was successful.

\- P-Pyra... I missed you...  
Rex said this in a broken voice, unable to keep a steady tone.

\- Now, now, Rex, don't cry.... We're here now. Pyra attempted to soothe the boy but to no avail. It didn't take long before she was starting to get affected by his pain even though they weren't sharing a core crystal anymore.  
\- **Rex**.  
He ignored her call, head still lowered on her chest.

His mind was wandering on a plethora of different things, a lot of them being whether he was in a dream though. And also whether that was the real Pyra or not And-

Rex's train of thought was interrupted by a certain someone calling his name. 

\- _**Rex**_! This time it sounded like Pyra raised her voice, but she didn't mean any harm- it was gentle and full of concern for Rex. 

Realizing he was being called, he snapped back to reality.

\- Hellooo? Alrest to Rex?

He slowly lifted his head up to face Pyra and see what she was trying to say, but only then did he realize where he was resting it. Considering the circimstances, it just didn't matter to him though- all that mattered was that he had his Pyra back.

Pyra was struggling to grasp for words. She was improvising basically everything, hoping Rex would forgive her.

\- Rex... please. Stop crying. I promise I'll never leave your side again.

As she attempted to talk to him, Pyra also took one of her hands off his back and started moving his brown, spiky hair: spinning it and making circles, simply moving her hand towards the back of his head, just about anything to make Rex feel better. This had the desired effect, causing Rex to finally open up and look her in the eyes, but it also had an unexpected consequence- a slight shade of pink started to creep up in Pyra's cheeks.

\- No. I understand why you left. I was selfish to believe that my feelings mattered more than the rest of the world. Rex tried to say this while clinging to the little confidence he still had and tried to look happy.

But both of them knew he wasn't fine. Pyra sighed, knowing there wasn't a lot she could say to cheer him up.

\- Don't say that! You matter just as much as everyone else! And that's not all- you matter to _me_ a whole lot more!

Only then did Pyra realize what she said, her face heating up even further. On the opposite end, Rex was also starting to blush. He certainly didn't expect Pyra to act this way.

Pyra then closed her eyes for a few seconds while she moved her free hand from his hair to his cheek, letting it rest on top of it while continuing with her explanation.

The salvager felt surprised at Pyra's sudden advances, and his golden eyes showed exactly that. At the same time though, he definitely felt better. He wasn't even crying that much anymore; just a few tears here and there.

\- Even so... I should've told you what my intentions were... but there's no use dwelling on the past. For now, let me honor the promise I made: "I, Pyra, Rex's blade, hereby promise I will never abandon you like that again."

Deep down, Pyra knew this was the way to make peace with Rex, but that wasn't enough to stop the pink from advancing even further on her face. By that point it was obvious how flustered she was.

\- A-are you sure? Wouldn't you want t-to.. uhh... explore the new Elysium?

Rex finally let go of his hug letting his hands slide down to his sides, although he still had to point his face upwards as Pyra was quite a bit taller than him.

\- Yes, Rex. I don't care about the new piece of land... 

Pyra said with new-found determination, although the next line that came into her mind wouldn't be as confident.

\- ...At least not as much as I care about y-you, Rex...You're the reason I'm standing here, today, in the first place.

It required her full willpower to even whisper that sentence- it wasn't something she was used to ever saying. 

They both mutually agreed on indulging themselves in each others' eyes as the awkward silence remained- but even so, Rex would be the one to break it:

\- I... Pyra.... I don't know what to s-

Rex was immediately interrupted by Pyra's seemingly random decision to grab his hands- but he didn't object. She gently clutched them, and placed them on her chest where her core crystal used to exist.

"This kind of reminds me of our meeting, doesn't it?", Pyra thought to herself.

Rex didn't react at all, not knowing how to respond, instead opting to just follow her movements.  
\- Look, now I've sealed the bond. I won't leave you this easily, you know!

Pyra then giggled, prompting the first smile on Rex's face since they met. Pyra had been waiting for Rex's optimist grin to come back.

The two started to inch closer. They both thought this might be it, the moment they both have been waiting for. The others could wait, they wanted to be in each others' presence without anyone watching for a little while longer, but unbeknownst to them they had been the protagonists of the show ever since Nia shoved Rex.

Their faces were almost touching; they could almost feel each others' hot, shallow breaths- but that didn't mean either one would break the silence this time. It was a magical moment they would rather enjoy on their own, but that wouldn't last long. 

Mythra felt a bit left out to say the least. She knew about Pyra's attraction towards Rex(they did talk every day afterall before, duh), and was pretty sure Rex reciprocated those feelings. Even though the blonde's intention wasn't to intrude, she couldn't help it.

\- Rex, stop hogging Pyra all for yourself! Let others talk to her already! Mythra added this with a little wave of her finger, striking her confident, hand-on-hip pose.

Realizing they were in the center of attention, Pyra and Rex shied away almost simultaneously. They didn't say a word to each other, although their faces were enough information for them to know they'd catch up later.

Seeing that Rex backed away, Mythra took that as an opportunity to grab the attention off of them.

\- You didn't think we'd be gone just because a ship blew up in our face did ya?! 

In the next few minutes, all of the party members got to talk to Pyra, asking her an array of questions, most of them consisting of why they're different persons.

* * *

When the sound finally diminished, Rex went to sit on Gramps' head to watch the sun set- it was a sight he always enjoyed. He wished he could share that with Pyra, but just as he was thinking of an excuse to call her over, she wandered there on her own.

Pyra couldn't help but still feel concerned for Rex. She wasn't sure whether he was fine or not, her last 'talk' just confusing things even further, although judging by the fact that he's smiling he has to be at least a tiny bit better.

She decided upon joining him in watching the sun go down, since it was an activity she thoroughly loved.

\- Oh, hi Pyra! Rex greeted her enthusiastically, although he didn't expect her arrival.

\- Feeling better, Rex? 

Pyra wanted to calm her conscience at least a tiny bit, fearing she'll become overly protective otherwise.

\- Yup, all thanks to you! Rex answered this with a grin on his face, striking his proud posture, with both hands on his hips and his eyes closed.

Afterwards they started watching the sun set in relative silence. Apart from the occasional Tora getting dissed by Poppi, it was a relaxing sight. At some point, Pyra wanted to strike up a conversation, so she decided on a generic line:

\- This is... gorgeous!

Rex wanted to continue this, but he wasn't sure how. He was thinking something like "Never seen it before?" would do, but he was also against it, thinking it would kill their little dialogue. He decided to just go with his gut.

\- Well... It's n-not as gorgeous as you, you k-know!

Rex had just realized what he actually managed to say. He immediately covered his mouth and gulped in surprise. He was amazed what kind of stuff he could say, and mentally chastised himself:

"W-why did it have to sound so flirty..?"

On the other hand, Pyra wasn't sure if Rex had actually said that- it just wasn't something he did... or would ever do for that matter, but it was certainly a pleasant surprise.

She finally managed to come up with a half-whispered response:

\- Aww... thank you, Rex!

Pyra followed that with a grin in his direction. 

It certainly felt nice for Rex to receive such a bright smile. 

He knew what his feelings meant, but had no idea how to express them. He kept telling himself he wasn't good enough for her, but luckily he kept those thoughts at bay. 

His train of thought was once again interrupted by a confident Pyra clutching his hand though- but that wasn't it. She didn't want to force anything onto Rex, but she let her heart get the best of her, leading to her leaning down and letting her read rest on Rex's shoulder.

The magical moment from before was on its way back; the atmosphere was even better. It was the perfect setting for both of them to attempt something, although Pyra was usually more courageous when it came to that sort of stuff, which meant that she would have to go first at least until he got the hang of it.

Rex also tried to do his part, putting a hand on Pyra's shoulder so as to keep her from plummetting to Azurda's back, or even worse, in the Cloud Sea.

Pyra then slightly spun her head towards Rex's ear for a mere second, and whispered to him:

\- We need to do this more often, Rex.

The boy didn't know what Pyra was talking about, but he had to make the best of it, so he answered in a soft voice so as to not scare off Pyra. Her exhaustion was obvious even to someone as oblivious as Rex; he didn't want to stress her any further... she needed to sleep soon.

\- Yeah... we do.

After a few moments of silently watching the sun's last moments of brightness that day, they both decided to find a better position to sleep in. This led to them both lying down.

At first they were relatively close, although set apart, but Pyra immediately reduced the distance between them from a few inches to nothing. She huddled half of her body to sit atop his, using her hands to pull him even closer, while her head was resting on top of the empty part on his chest where his X shaped core crystal used to be.

Rex didn't mind though, he'd do anything so Pyra could finally sleep, and the first thing that came into his mind was whispering to her:

\- Good night, Pyra.

At the same time, he used one of his hands to keep Pyra close to his chest so she's in a comfortable position, while the other was fiddling with her hair just as she was doing to Rex before.

Being this close to each other, they could feel each other's body heat, be it emanating from their chests or their face, but neither of them minded- they felt safe, like they were protected from the scary dark.

Rex then silently yawned. That marked his time to stop overthinking things and to at least try to sleep.

It wasn't long before they fell asleep, but how could they not have? So many things were desperately trying to make them sleep: their heartbeats were in sync, forming a beautiful lullaby, their soft touches acting like blankets; even the aura surrounding them was inducing sleepiness- the moon now shining above their heads, the stars giving off what little light there is.

And so, they fell asleep on top of each other. Their sleep wasn't interrupted, meaning that with a little luck their affair that night could remain a secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to admit, for the first chapter I've ever written... not bad. 
> 
> Anyway, enough showing off- if you've got any feedback, suggestions etc feel free to leave them in the comments.


	2. A night's rest, and a day's confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Pyra wakes up on Rex's chest, and she tries as best as she can to wake Rex up, but it doesn't go according to plan, leading to the boy hearing something he wasn't supposed to.

When the doves started to come to their senses, it was long past noon, which meant they had been sleeping for the past 12 hours at least- but hey, at least they felt refreshed, and ready for their first day on the continent; who knows what they would discover? Speaking of which, Gramps was just above it, preparing landing maneuvers.

The first one to fully awaken was Pyra.

When she finally opened her eyes, she started searching her surroundings, trying to get wind of her location, but to no avail- something was blocking her view.

Upon further inspection, she realized that something was actually Rex... and he even had an arm wrapped around her just to make sure she wouldn't wiggle off and plunge into the Cloud Sea.

Pyra was on the edge of wiggling out of his grasp, but she quickly conceded her efforts due to her fear of waking Rex up- she wanted him to get as much rest as he needed. It didn't take long for her to figure out that it's impossible to escape without waking the boy up, so she resorted to playing with his hair to waste some time.

She wanted to do something unique for him though, which meant that simply waving his hair wouldn't cut it. The first idea she came up with was styling his hair, but there was still one problem: Pyra isn't great at making one's hair look good- the only haircut she decently knows how to replicate is her own... which turns out it wasn't such a bad idea, considering how Rex didn't have enough hair for a lot of hairstyles.

She began by moving his hair outwards, so as to form a small cavity on the top of his head. After that, using some of the gel she 'borrowed' from Brighid back when she was one with Mythra, she managed to position a few strands of his hair properly- meaning she was actually making progress. Pyra continued by gently pulling his hair and putting it in the right spots, following by a subtantial application of hair gel- she wanted to avoid a fight with the boy's hair. 

Having finally finished setting the hair in place, there was one thing left to do: straightening it, which would prove to be difficult. The amount of options was limited as well: Mythra had her straightening device on her as usual, and she couldn't get her hands on any water to make the hair easier to work with, nor was she able to take Pneuma's form anymore to fulfill the role of all the elements. Losing all hope, the girl muttered in annoyance:

\- ...How am I going to do this? Think, Pyra, think...

At the same time, Mythra just happened to be walking by them, so Pyra decided she would take the lesser evil, which sums up to Mythra noticing them.

\- Uhh.. Mythra! Could you... you know... lend some help here?

Mythra barely managed to distinguish Pyra's voice from the other sounds, but she responded quietly:

\- Ah, Pyra, so that's how it is... heh.

\- Mythra! I-It's not what you think happened... alright? Just lend me your straightening board for a sec.

The blonde then took out the devide in order to hand it to Pyra, but as soon as the latter was close to grabbing it, she pulled away, and said in a teasing tone:

\- If you explain to me what you need it for! I know for a fact you don't need it, and I'm guessing Rex doesn't either seeing as he's out of it.

Pyra first responded with a simple giggle, then continued with a proper sentence.

\- About that... it _might_ be for Rex... Look, just give it to me, I'll explain when I return it. Please?

\- Fine, fine.. but you're not escaping my questioning this time! 

Mythra then finally handed her the board, and ran off, with Pyra muttering under her breath "God that took a long time... ugh.", and with that she continued her duty.

Unfortunately, it took longer than expected due to her carefulness and avoidance of faster moves- but, even so, she was finally done. After a quick peek at his hair... her jaw dropped- she outdid herself. She took that as a moment to relax for a bit, and enjoy the sight of Rex's now straight hair. With a faint whisper, she let her feelings get the best of her:

\- Ugh, Rex... When will you finally understand how I feel about you?

* * *

It was finally time to wake him up. She desperately wanted to avoid it, but she didn't really have a choice. The first thing she tried her hand at was a slight tap on his nose.

That was enough to make Rex groan in response, but not enough to open his eyes.

Her next attempt comprised of her gently removing the boy's hand from her side and moving her whole body to stay atop his, her weight being spread out so as to ensure the boy isn't in pain. After that she faintly whispered in his ear:

\- Reeeex, wake up!

This also didn't seem to work, eliciting another generic response, although he did at least properly request to be left alone via a slight murmur.

The last idea Pyra had wasn't as hard to implement as the other two, in theory: she'd just have to shift her face above Rex's; but in practicality, it wasn't as trivial as expected. After inching just a tiny bit closer, she could already feel her face heating up, but she had an objective that was logical enough for her brain not to overreact like it always does.

Once Pyra put her plan into play she knew there was no going back, but that didn't interrupt her from her 'work'. As soon as she got into the intended position she mentally readied herself, but before she was able to do anything the lack of distance inbetween their faces caused her to start wondering about Rex: his appearance, his personality, and most importantly, all the memories they shared on their grand journey.

"Since when was he so cute...?"

* * *

In the meantime, Rex was kind of dreaming- but it felt... odd. He was unable to see anything, black covering every bit of his sight, but his hearing was still functional, and he could still feel stuff.

Rex decided upon just focusing on his two main sensations, wondering if he'll be able to understand what was happening.

First of all, his whole body felt really hot, as if he slept inside a warm, cozy blanket or something- but, he knew that wasn't it. He could also feel the touch of something... no, someone, on his chest- and that someone was also... moving? Judging by the rough silhouette he could feel, it had to be Pyra; and it made sense considering last night's events... oh right. She was probably just waking up and trying to escape from his grasp to meet the others. Yet that explanation also didn't seem to fit since... she was playing with his hair? He could feel a hand going through his hair for some reason, twisting it and swirling it in different directions, but it didn't seem suspicious at first... it was quite soothing, in fact.

On the other hand, his hearing couldn't make out a lot of sounds aside from the permanent noise that came from Azurda's wings... but the few sounds he could describe were those of someone's rhytmic breathing- he could only guess it was Pyra's.

He started making more assumptions, like what she was trying to accomplish, but was interrupted by Pyra's gentle voice:

\- Ugh, Rex... You're so oblivious sometimes... When will you finally understand how I feel about you?

This took him by surprise, leading to him snapping out of his _dreaming_ state, but as he was on the verge to open his eyes he decided against it as that would scare Pyra off, and probably turn this into another awkward moment, knowing that what he heard was obviously not meant for him to hear.

* * *

Even though the girl just wanted to back off and let Rex sleep in peace, she knew she had to wake him up- she already spent so much time just getting to that point, so she just proceeded with putting her face right above his, their noses touching. Every breath one took could be felt by the other, leading to a oddly hypnotic sensation- it was as if their breaths were in sync intentionally. Pyra desperately wanted to keep that moment alive; she wanted to cherish it with him, but it wasn't her choice. She then started softly calling for Rex:

\- Rex... wake up, dear.

Her first attempt failed, although it was probably due to her voice being barely above a whisper. She retried, this time with a steadier, and a tiny bit harsher tone:

\- Come on, Rex. Everyone's waiting for us.

That was Rex's sign that he had to make his presence known.

He yawned, and followed with a tired voice:

\- Good morning to you too, Pyra! How'd you sleep?

\- Like a baby, as you'd say! _Pyra then giggled, prompting Rex's first smile of the morning._

\- Where did you sleep anyway? I don't see-

Rex easily assumed she slept on her chest judging by her closeness... and now that be actually dwells on it, the angle she's facing him in is kind of curious.

\- Oh.

Pyra then instinctively shied away, letting a confused and embarassed Rex raise his chest to properly sit. After that, he scratched the back of his neck trying to wrap his head around the events last night.

The redheaded girl, now sitting on the ground next to Rex was starting to feel a bit concerned- he might have actually been awake when she said.. that.

This caused her to crouch into a more comfortable position so she was able to think, although most of her thinking amounted to her to exagerrating the possible consequences of Rex overhearing what she confessed.

Rex immediately grabbed her hand, knowing something was troubling her.

\- Pyra, what's wrong?

\- I...I-I'm fine. Don't worry about me.

\- What do you mean? Even I can see it... something's troubling you. Come on, don't just keep it to yourself- I can help!

\- Well... f-fine... you were sleeping like half an hour ago, right?

Rex didn't exactly understand where she was going with that question, but went along and responded affirmatively.

\- Yeah, I was. Why do you ask?

\- Y-you didn't happen to overhear me saying anything, did you?

\- I think I've heard you talk at some point while I was kinda asleep.

Rex was telling a half-truth there; he technically was asleep while heard Pyra say something, but he didn't actually provide any info on whether he properly made out what she was saying.

Even though Pyra trusted him, Rex must have heard her at that point even if he was half-asleep. After realizing her fears had become a reality, she instantly panicked, trying to explain herself.

-I-I...! Uhh... I... was just implying that you never seem to get how everything that occured is due to your actions! Yeah, that's it!

Deep down, she felt guilty lying to Rex, but it was better than actually facing the embarassment that would likely come with expressing her feelings.

On the receiving end, Rex's gut feeling made sure to warn him in every way that it's something far deeper than that, but he decided not to force Pyra into anything.

\- Alright, Pyra. I trust you. And you're right, but it wasn't just me who got us here- it was me, Nia, Morag, everyone else... and especially you! Do you think I would be standing here had you not shared your crystal back then?

As he said this, the girl was remarkably better, meaning she probably stopped beating herself over it, instead feeling kind of.. relieved that he knew. They both got up, readying themselves to walk towards their friends.

\- I... I see. Thank you for trusting me.

Pyra completed the line with a sudden approach, followed by a short and sweet kiss on his right cheek.

She then proceeded to advance towards their friends in a running pace, leaving Rex alone back on top of the titan's head.

Rex stood still for a little while longer, tracing the lip-stick line the was left on his cheek with his finger. It definitely felt like it would burn off along with the rest of his face. After he investigated that mark, he set off towards his friends where Pyra would wait; where they would decide their future; the way they'll be heading.

Hopefully they would cross paths again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently I can pump out 2 chapters in 3 days... huh.
> 
> Well, as in the first one, leaving any feedback you've got in the comments.


	3. A new way forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azurda docks on the archipelago, the crew splits with Rex & Pyra having a heartfelt conversation and the rest going to Corinne's; once there, the group discuss their plans for the future, leading to four who decided to remain in Fonsett to have an... _awkward_ moment, and finally, at the end of the day Pyra and Rex have a bit of fun in the kitchen.

The sun was hurling its rays of light over Rex's back as he was sprinting towares his friends. For all he knew, it was going to be a day like any other, except, well, that incident from earlier, which he agreed to keep to themselves. Besides that, his hair also felt... funny, kind of like it was being held in place by some magical force, but he paid it no mind- he probably just slept in a weird position or something. Instead, he just hurried over to the patch of grass where everyone was already discussing where they'd go.

Once there, he was greeted by everyone, Pyra being the one taking the lead:

\- Morning, Rex!

Rex just nodded in response, although Zeke followed with a worried tone:

\- Say, chum... did _anything_ this morning? 

\- What'cya mean by that?

\- Just take a look.

Zeke handed him a small mirror, and positioned it so it faced his head, but only then did a light go off in the man's head: he _had_ seen thst hairstyle before.

In the meantime, not only was Pyra's face redder than a tomato, she was just about ready to melt into the floor as well. In a futile attempt, she tried to cover it with her hands, but there were still wide, noticeable gaps. It didn't take long until the others realized what happened, resulting in everyone bursting out laughing.

Rex was just grabbing the mirror from Zeke's hand when he heard the others laughing at him. 

\- Hey, what's the main idea?! 

A split second later, his eyes turned to see his reflection. Rex was mortified- he didn't when or how his hair was changed. Upon a closer inspection, and a few sneaky glances towards a snickering Pyra, he finally noticed that their hair is eerily similar.

Before Rex could mutter anything, Pyra stepped in front of him and teasingly said:

\- Rex, I love the way your hair looks! Who helped you?

The last question was emphasized with a quiet giggle.

Rex was trying his damnedest to come up with a proper response, but he couldn't exactly think properly, especially he was the center of everyone's attention.

\- Uhh... I was thinking y-you could answer that, P-Pyra!

That line was followed by Rex's usual movement pattern, which involves scratching the back of his neck.

Pyra went along with his script, continuing with her playful tone, setting her hands on her hips and slightly leaning forward:

\- And why would I know who did this? 

\- Well... A hint would be that my hair looks awfully akin to someone's, but I'm not entirely sure to whose.

After a slight moment of pause, Rex cheerfully added:

\- I think I'll keep it like this for now! I'm guessing _whoever_ is having plenty of fun right now, though!

After hearing him, Pyra started radiating with happiness. It was awfully contagious as everyone, including the always-serious Morag started giving a mischievous grin towards them.

Zeke stood apart from the rest as he burst out laughing, barely managing to say inbetween his breaths:

\- Hey, chum, looks like you've got an admirer around here! But I think that just now answers the question way back on the boat to Temperantia!

Rex wasn't sure what what Zeke was referencing to, so he opted to just go with it and nod.

* * *

As soon as the conversation came to an end, Azurda's docking procedures started, meaning they had to grab onto something and pray the old man still knew how to do this. Luckily for them, he was as good as always, graciously landing on the island where the people of Fonsett Village reside.

Upon touching the ground, all the passengers jumped off and landed on the grass. Unfortunately for them, it was still the crack of dawn, so the morning dew still hadn't evaporated, which meant that their little jumps were accompanied by huge pools of water. 

The first one to interject was Morag:

\- Good riddance. Fortunately, I brought my spare costume.

\- Shall I hand you the suit once we get somewhere inside? 

\- Yes, Brighid.

Zeke had to make himself known after the misfortune that occurred upon them:

\- Hey, at least you got a spare costume! I don't have anything besides my marvelous shirt!

-...which reveals half your chest, so it isn't exactly useful. 

\- Why do you always need to be so sour, Morag? Have a bit of fun, will ya? Speaking of which, I'm kinda freezing to death here.... and I don't have spare pieces of clothing like you guys.

\- Aww, don't worry, my prince! I can help warm you up temporarily! 

Pandoria added this while mischievously smiling at Zeke- he knew what she had planned, and was going to announce it to the others.

\- Pandy! What did I say about shocking me 'till I fall flat on the floor?!

With a sad smile, Pandoria sighed and responded:

\- ..Yes, my prince.

Nia was the next in line to make her presence known:

\- Good thing me and Dromarch are water blades, eh? Wet stuff doesn't touch us unless it's sub zero.

Tora then struck her an annoyed glance from behind Poppi- he still had his little wings wrapped around her to get some heat.

\- Don't forget Poppi still have Ice Module!  
Can reduce your powers to null!

\- Oi, furball? You say anything to me? Nia said this while doing her usual set of moves, which includes jumping in place while relocating her hands to her back.

The wise lion and Nia's blade, Dromarch stepped in to devolve the argument that was brewing:

\- My lady, please have some sympathy. The water is pretty cold and a lot of them are either normal drivers or fire blades, speaking of which: Lady Pyra, what are you doing?

In the corner of his vision, Dromarch spotted Pyra and Rex having ventured out to a desolate island. He could also discern them as... hugging? He couldn't quite pinpoint what they were doing.

\- I don't think they heard us, so let me try. Oi, R-

Nia was suddenly interrupted by a sighing Morag:

\- Nia, let them have their moment of silence. We shall all meet in Corinne's house for breakfast. We also have a few manners to discuss.

\- Fine.

The main party then split off from the two adventurers going off the beaten track, hurrying towards the main village.

* * *

It felt as if the cold could no longer touch him, instead being replaced by a never-ending barrage of heat spreading to every inch of his body. 

Pyra was once again acting as a personal heater, but this time she wasn't against it- in fact, she thought of it more like giving an affectionate hug to Rex, emanating heat from all sides.

For the next few minutes, they stood in silence, reveling in the warmth of each other's bodies. 

Their little moment was cut short by Rex:

\- As much as I'd love to stay here and just enjoy the view with you, I think we need to go. The others are probably waiting for us in Fonsett.

\- One second, please- I've got a little question to ask you. 

Pyra said this in more reserved tone, as if wanting to keep this question to herself.

\- Sure. What's on your mind?

\- Well... I made your hair, but I assume you already deduced that on your own. So... how do you fancy your new... hairstyle?

Rex froze in place after hearing what Pyra had just stated. It was safe to say he didn't expect her to bring this up.

The position he was in didn't exactly benefit him either; it was a significantly harder task to gather his thoughts when he was in a tight embrace given by his precious friend.

\- Well.. uhh... I l-like it!

\- Oh, really? I actually half expected you to prefer your old, spiky hair over this straight one.

\- Nah! This one's definitely an upgrade over my antiquated style.

\- Well, if you want, I can do this more often. I'm just going to need to buy my own straightening device though since I barely got Mythra to lend me hers this time.

Pyra implied that she wanted to spend more time with Rex, which he didn't object, and she also said she needed- 

"Wait wait wait..." 

Rex started to get even warmer, but this time not due to Pyra. He had to know whether Mythra knows about their.... friendship.

\- Uhm, Pyra... 

\- Yes, Rex?

\- Does, umm... Mythra know about us?

After hearing the question the boy asked, Pyra recoiled a bit- what could he be referring to?

\- I-I mean about our friendship! Does she know about h-how close we are?

Rex backed his statement up with zero confidence though. Pyra then tried to reassure him that everything is fine.

\- ...Yes, she does. But don't worry, she doesn't mind.

\- Ah... okay.

Although having visibly calmed down, Rex's body was still twitching, as if he loathed the fact that Mythra knows about how close their relationship had gotten in the past few days.

\- Hey, um, Rex... You don't hate her, do you?

Rex was bewildered by her question- how or why did she get the idea that he hated Mythra? 

His fingers were fumbling about, his mind scouring for a reassuring response. After a few mute moments, he suddenly jerked out of Pyra's grasp and attempted to mimic Mythra's confident posture, even going as far as trying to replicate the reverberations her voice bore.

\- Rex..?

\- Pyra, how'd how you get the idea that I hated Mythra?

\- Well, umm... it just seems that way, I guess.

\- I don't! And even if I did, why would pay attention to whether she knows how close we are? As long as you're alright with it, that's enough for me.  
Then, as if to point at something, he lifted one of his hands off his hip and started to shift his index finger around.

\- As the eleventh rule of the Salvager Code notes, "Care about the impression you make as much as you care about fishin' up a krabble!"

Satisfied with the answer, Pyra immediately went to readying up for the small trip that would be reaching Fonsett. It was already starting to get late- morning was no more, instead being replaced by a shining sun up in the middle of the sky.

\- Come on, Rex. The others are probably waiting for us.

\- Yeah, you're right, although I think they just went on ahead and are waiting for us over at Corinne's.

\- I guess so. Anyway, no time to waste. Let's go!

And so, the two started skipping around the small islands that composed the archipelago, with an arm wrapped around the other's.

* * *

After about thirty minutes of soundlessly moving through Leftheria's small islands, they finally reached the one Arch they both recognized and loved. It was made of stone, and had indented writing in it citing "Hero's Rest".

They were all too familiar with the sight they were met by: children running around aimlessly, albeit their number was reduced due to Rex and Co's decision to help fund a new school and supply them with materials and teachers; elderly people yelling at said kids to respect them and stop being so noisy, adults working the fields, an Auntie Corinne angrily motioning for them to come... wait, what?

They were so absorbed by the sight that they barely even notice Corinne's signals. She was just about to start strolling to them, but before she had the time the pair started making their way towards the house.

As they arrived in front of the door, a fuming Corinne greeted them:

\- What took you so long?! The others already ate, and the food's gone cold! Look at the time, mister!

\- Sorry, Auntie. We paused for a bit on one of the hills over on Daram Isle so I could warm up, but I guess I musta fallen asleep or something- all I remember is that the view there was mesmerizing.

\- I'm guessing Pyra was with you as well?

\- Yup.

A wild Gramps then perked his head up from behind the cliff, showing interest in their conversation.

\- No funny business I'm hoping?

Pyra's face lit on fire, while Rex positioned his hand in a fraction of a second as to smack Gramps, but he realized that he wasn't able to do that anymore as Azurda was, well, 10x his size.

\- Can't do that anymore, aye, Rex? Guess you'll have to listen to me making bad jokes from now on.

\- Whatever.

Corinne then opened the door, signalling for them to come inside the house and grab a chair. While following her instructions, the two waved towards their friends so as to showcase the fact that they finally arrived.

Once they were done with moving the chairs and had their seat at the table, a discussion rapidly sparked up. 

\- Where will friends stay after this?

\- Well, me and Brighid will return to Mor Ardain- we need to assist the Emperor by any means necessary, which could mean cooperating with the military to grant the people homes to live in.

Seeing as Tora didn't bother to come up with a response, Zeke decided to join in and inform them of his arrangements.

\- As I expected. Me and Pandy here are probably gonna go on a few more adventures in the new world, then go settle down with my old pop and have a go at being a king.

\- A king? My prince? Even Turters would be better suited for this!

\- Pandy! I can't be that bad at... kinging, is it? The people of Tantal.

\- Whatever you say, my prince- but don't come crying when you make a fool of yourself again!

\- Anyway, what about you furball?

\- Me will move to Mor Ardain and continue work on Poppi. Upgrades always possible!

Having recorded a past conversation with the nopon, Poppi also decided to join in and deliver her share of information.

\- Two days ago, Tora say he miss Dadapon! He also say he will move with Tatazo to continue legacy of family. 

After a bit more searching through her data module, Poppi continued her list of things Tora said:

\- Masterpon also want make sure Tatazo not make big or small Lila! 

Being bored of just listening in to the conversation at hand, Rex and Pyra joined in as well.

\- Well, I would love to repay the debt I owe to the people of Fonsett, meaning I will probably remain here.

Pyra still felt thoroughly thankful for tremendous amount of things this little village has gifted to her: unlocking her third form, finally getting past all the trauma from 500 years ago, and most importantly, _her_ Rex.

\- Nice! I want to remain in Fonsett as well and help the villagers! 

Rex was delighted that Pyra would remain in Fonsett, and so was she; although it was to be expected that the boy would stick with the place he grew up in.

Mythra and Nia disinterestedly perked their heads up from behind the pack of cards they both held to chime in with their plans.

\- I don't have anything better to do than stick with Pyra, so count me in I guess.

\- Same. Guess I'll stay here as well.

After having stayed silent for the most part, Corinne rose from her chair in order to assess the current situation and positioned a map of the village on the table. She pointed towards to empty buildings.

\- Ok, so, here's how the housing system is right now. We've got exactly two houses free, and it's the least we can do to repay you guys. It's on you who is gonna live with who though, so take your time.

\- Okay. Pyra, Mythra, Nia, there's a free side room next to the kitchen- let's head there so we can talk this through.

Mythra dully responded with a "Sure". The three girls then followed the boy to the room, and they all took a seat on the bed.

In the main room, the three remaining members and their blades were doing some small talk. They didn't have a specific topic until Zeke came up with the perfect one to pressure Morag on.

\- So, uhh, say. Morag, when will you find your soulmate?

Tora also enthusiastically joined in.

\- Yes! When will Morag find wifeypon?

Morag jumped back in response, but not due to Zeke's question, since she knew it was a topic he just loved to bring up, but because of the nopon's response.

Noticing Morag's surprise, Tora then added:

\- Or is it possible that wifeypon is Brighid?

Morag was furious. That little furball STILL didn't know she was a woman?! Despite all this, she decided to go with the diplomatic response so as to not disappoint Tora.

\- Tora, did you know I am a **woman**?

\- Meh-meh??? Morag is woman?

Zeke then deeply sighs and hops in to defend Morag.

\- Tora, we already told you over at the springs where you overreacted. 

Tora had no words to describe the situation, so he resorted to a simple, rapid meh-meh.

\- Thank you, Zeke. Also, no, I still haven't found a possible husband candidate. 

\- You know, you're getting old like me right here. Niall's gonna need ya to expand the family, you know. 

\- ...He wouldn't..! 

Although Morag immediately denied, deep down she knew Zeke was right.

\- Moving on... how about you Zeke.

\- Honestly, I dunno. Don't think there's a woman fit for the grand Zekenator, Bringer of Chaos over in Tantal, so I'm gonna have to find one while on my trip.

Pandoria then added:

\- But I'm here my prince! I've always been here...

Following the last part, Pandy sadly sighs, not knowing how to explain herself to Zeke.

In the meantime, in the side room no words has been said ever since getting in, not even as much as muttering one. An atmosphere of tenseness was surpassing their higher brain functions, leading to said silence worsening.

After getting even more bored than she already was, the most confident one of the group, Mythra, set on breaking the ice.

\- Well, it's gonna be awkward for Rex either way, so we might as well give him the housemate he's most comfortable with.

Rex was still lost in thought, barely listening to the issue at hand, while Pyra already knew where it was going. Not even a thought of sharing a house with Rex later, her face was already heating up.

After hearing Mythra's point of view, Nia joined in to support her, realizing what she meant.

\- Yup. Since you two are basically like two love birds now, we'll take one house and let you two have the other.

This interrupted Rex's train of thoughts, leading to him becoming a blushing mess, unable to speak properly. _Him_ , sharing a house with _her_?

Pyra wasn't that far from developing into the same thing, but she managed to squeeze out a few words of denial.

\- N-no! We're j-just good f-friends! Yeah!

Pyra also followed with a nervous nod so as to assist her line, but instead it just made it even more preposterous.

Nia promptly disregarded her response, recognizing it as a desperate denial of the inevitable.

She put her palm up to face Pyra, making it act like a shield.

\- Yeah, yeah. Save that for later.

\- Mhm. When are you planning to kiss? I wanna get my popcorn ready!

Rex then finally managed to muster the courage to claim that they weren't anything more than pals, taking the heat off Pyra. Figuratively speaking, he did just that as he turned to be the center of attention, but literally speaking, Pyra's cheeks were still about to burst in flames.

\- W-we're not! Look, we're just friends o-okay? 

\- You're such a cute kid sometimes, Rex. You even take Pyra's side when you can see she can't exactly defend herself.

\- You're a kid as well! Also why're you so eager to live with Mythra if we're on this subject, huh?

The blonde answered the question before Nia could even as much as come up with a response.

\- What about us? Does it look like we want to live with each other? We don't have a choice as you can plainly see, and we certainly want to assist you guys.

Mythra then conspicuously winked at Rex, making the two look at each other in fear.

\- Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing! But Pyra, you still haven't explained why you needed my h-

Mythra was so oblivious to Rex's hair that after all this time she had just noticed kt was eerily similar to Pyra's. She followed with a dry remark:

\- Nevermind, I got it. We still gotta talk, though- about other things.

Pyra barely succeeded to nod in response, but Mythra proceeded to take it as her nervous "We'll talk later".

Wanting to end it faster, Rex continued with a prompt to go meet the others:

\- Now that we're settled, how about we go say our goodbyes to the others before they take their leave and then communicate our plan to Corinne?

Mythra then responded in her usual, bored voice.

\- Fine by me.

The four finally got up and left the room to make their way towards the others.

After such a tense moment, Pyra could calm down at last and think things through properly, the weight of talking having lifted from her chest temporarily.

When the group arrived, the guests were about to take their leave but instead opted to remain a little bit longer.

After a heartfelt moment where Mythra explained their plan while the others were hugging and planning to meet sometime soon, the three departed to an influx of waving hands.

Then, the harder part would have to commence: explaining their decision to live the way they chose to Corinne. 

It didn't take long to stumble upon her obviously. The girls all shoved Rex forward in tandem so he could take the lead.

\- Auntie, we know how we're going to stay.

\- Already? So, tell me, which one do ya fancy?

\- Not you as well.. and Gramps don't you even dare say anything.

Rex then sighed, wishing to continue without being teased.

\- Anyway, Mythra and Nia said they'd live in one house, and me and Pyra will take the other.

\- Aight. But did you decide who gets which house?

\- Not really... well, I guess we could take the one over at Messet Point so I can easily salvage whenever I want to.

\- Okay. Then, what're you waiting for? Go make yourself comfortable!

Azurda couldn't bear to just listen in, so he finally remarked:

\- Come 'ere for a second, Rex.

After nearing the titan's flapping wings, it whispered to him.

\- Take care of Pyra, my boy.

The boy then simply followed with a shrug, much to the titan's disappointment.

After that, he caught up with Pyra who was on her way to their new home. She was carrying a bulky bag which contained most of his clothes with one hand, and in the other hand she had a modest rucksack where she stuffed her few clothing items in.

Rex then offered to assist Pyra with carrying the bags, but was swiftly denied with the excuse he hears every so often, "I can handle it!". He insisted, stating that she was visibly struggling with it. A few more pleads later, he got his bag, and he tied it to his salvager costume. It was tremendously easier to carry it that way, although he had to focus his force on his back so as to avoid accidentally doing a backwards Rolling Smash.

The last stretch seemed to be endless. His back being under constant pressure didn't help increase his speed either, almost coming to a halt upon reaching stairs in front of the house.

Once he got on the porch, the boy took it as a sign that he could just drop his bag and start dragging it inside- it was the only manner in which he could proceed.

_He gently opened the door._

He was greeted a large array of smells. The first one he could distinguish was a flowery scent- it was too strong for it to be a flower, so the house must have been cleaned beforehand. Another aroma he could distinguish was the one that filled the air since the events in the space station: the soothing smell of the ocean. It hadn't been long since said ocean appeared, but it was enough to leave a mark, becoming a memorable smell for Rex.

Seemingly unfazed by them, the boy continued to haul his luggage through the house until he found a room that seemed to resemble a bedroom. As soon as the bag collided with the ground, Rex eagerly left the chamber and started 'exploring' the house. Said action wouldn't last long though, as the one consisted of only a main room which included a kitchen and a dinner table, a bathroom and a cozy bedroom. 

The thing that shook him the most was the latter though. How would they sleep? He could make probably make due with just sleeping on the ground, but still... sleeping next to Pyra everyday?

While Rex was contemplating, Pyra also set out to what the cushy cabin hid- but she would soon be disappointed. Pyra also decided to bring up to Rex the bedroom issue.

\- So... umm... Rex. How are we going to sleep? There's only one b-bed...

\- Simple! I'll just grab a pillow and a blanket and sleep on the floor. You'll have the whole bed to yourself tha way.

Without hesitating, Pyra refused Rex's offer.

\- N-no! I mean, why should you sleep on the ground? I-it's going to get really cold at night, y-you know!

\- I can handle it!

Pyra let out a deep sigh, knowing full well what will happen after reciting her next few words.

\- Why don't we j-just, you know... share the bed?

Shortly after hearing her, Rex recoiled back in surprise. Him, sharing a bed, with Pyra?

\- B-but! Don't you w-

Pyra wanted to make him at least consider it as a viable option, so she resorted to simply yanking him by the hand and dragging him in bed. He ended up on top of her, but shied away soon after.

The two were on their sides, facing each other. It wasn't that bad actually; they both felt protected by the other, and yet they had more than enough space to go around.

The girl then giggled, and grabbed the boy's hand, bringing it in front of them.

\- See? It isn't that hard.

To set the example in place, she clutched his hand even tighter. 

Rex didn't know what to think of Pyra's once again sudden advances. He decided to just go along with the 'she doesn't want him to get a cold' instead of reflecting on it even more.

\- Fine. I guess we can sleep like this from now on.

A bulb just sparked up in Pyra's head.

\- Oh! You must be starving! I'll go make us some food!

Pyra then rushed off to the kitchen, hoping for some alone time to recollect her thoughts.

The boy was trying his hardest to stay awake, but noticed that he'd fall to the hands of exhaustion if he didn't get up from bed, so he did just that. Then, he followed Pyra's tracks into the kitchen, where he noticed she was cutting some Tasty Sausage.

Pyra didn't expect Rex to come out this early, so she was a bit surprised with his sudden appearance- but nothing too mind-blowing. She just continued slicing while humming to herself.

\- You must be in a happy mood. What'cya cooking?

\- Ah! I'm just making some basic sandwiches with Tasty Sausage, sliced Meaty Carrot and Sweet Wasabi sprinkled here and there.

\- Mind if I help ya?

\- Sure! You can slice the carrots while I fry the sausages.

Pyra then enthusiastically handed Rex the knife. It was heavier than he had anticipated, leading to him just about dropping the knife.

\- Rex! Be careful!

\- Yeah, yeah. I'm not a kid, you know!

\- Well, _technically_... Anyway, here's the first batch of carrots.

Rex slid the carrots on his cutting board and started chopping. It was a pretty trivial task for him as the carrots were still warm and soft. After a few minutes, he energetically exclaimed:

\- I'm done with these! Need anything else?

\- Umm... well, I'm almost done with the sausages. Could you have a go at cutting the Sumpkins?

\- Sure thing!

Rex proceeded to place the Sumpkins onto the cutting board just like the carrots, and attempted to push the knife through the thin crust. It didn't work though, so he tried again, this time putting all his might in the slice- nada.

Not long after Pyra finished frying the sausage, and placed the plate aside. After that, he noticed Rex struggling to pierce the Sumpkin's protective layer, so she decided she'd help him.

The girl closed in on the boy until she was right behind him, but the boy was so absorbed into his job that he failed to notice the redhead getting so close to him.

A second later, Pyra sat her head on Rex's shoulder, and inched her arms towards the boy's. In a way, she kind of resembled a mother controlling her child's hands to teach him how to use a knife, but that didn't phase her. This snapped Rex out of his annoyed Sumpkin-cutting trance, making him flinch.

\- P-Pyra..?

\- Let me show you how it's done, silly!

\- Umm... okay...

The boy then let his arms loose, being supported only Pyra's. Then, she started slowly pushing and pulling them in such a way so the knife goes in head-first in the tough vegetable.

\- So, the first thing you should know about slicing these is that you have to pierce their crust with the tip of the knife.

\- I don't think it's that ea-

His words were cut short by the loud sound of the crust being punctured. Following that, a few droplets of yellow ooze spurted from the small incision.

\- Aah!

\- Don't worry, it's not harmful. It's what makes the Sumpkin so good besides its meaty insides!

After a slight delay, Pyra continued her little speech.

\- Okay, after making the first gash, you need to put the rest of the knife inside- it should be much easier to do so.

\- Like this?

Rex proceeded to ready his hand to do a powerful press, but Pyra interrupted him before he was able to do so.

\- Rex, wait! There's something else you need to know!

\- O-oh! Sorry!

\- Like you've noticed after the first slice, this vegetable has some really juicy contents. Because of this, you have to gently push your knife through it- kind of like you'd cut butter, otherwise you'll end up with the insides of it spilt on your clothes.

The boy then went on and started lightly pushing the knife into the vegetable. Much to his surprise, nothing terrible happened- he accomplished his task without any further problems, although Pyra did assist him in piercing the Sumpkins from time to time.

After he finally finished, he felt slightly proud of himself, even though he concluded such a simple task. That also meant Pyra had no more reason to stick to him though, which kind of left him sad- but alas, the sandwiches were done.

* * *

After finally packaging all the appetizing ingredients into a savory piece of bread, the sandwiches were finished at last, and they could enjoy their brief meal, even though it would only last for a few minutes. They both grabbed their plates, and started making their way to the couch facing the window.

\- Hey, I've got an idea! Hand me your plate for a second, Rex.

Rex wordlessly pursued her intentions, although he was clueless as to what she actually intended to do.

She reluctantly grabbed his plate and rushed over to the short end table next to the sofa, and positioned the plates there. Then, she jumped onto the couch, her landing softened by one of the cushions laying there. Then, she reached her hand out towards Rex, as if inviting him to a dance.

\- Hey, Rex. Could you help me up?

\- Uhh.. Sure?

He then hesitantly took her hand and started gently pulling, expecting her to simply get up, but was dumbfounded to find himself being hoisted off his feet, and gravitating to the couch. In a split second, he yelled for Pyra and closed his eyes to brace for impact.

Once he made contact with the sofa, it didn't feel as if all the bones in his body had broken- which was what he had foreseen. Upon opening his eyes, he found himself sitting on top of Pyra all over again.

\- Umm.. Pyra...?

Pyra then giggled as she dragged the boy even closer to her. Their faces were touching, meaning they could sense each other's heat creeping up. Despite all this, she still continued what she intended to do.

She got her mouth to almost touch his ear, as she lightly murmured:

\- Rex... I love you.

As soon as he heard it, Rex's eyes widely opened in surprised, as he prepared to 'defend' himself, but was promptly cut short by her finger perching on top of his mouth.

\- Shh... 

Pyra ended it all with a slight peck on the cheek. Then, she swiftly got up, and as if nothing happened, asked Rex when he was going to eat the sandwich.

\- Come on, Rex! It's getting late, let's eat!

\- O-okay...

It took all of Rex's willpower not to dwell on the recent events that took place. He elected to just focus on eating the sandwich, otherwise he'd just lose himself in thoughts.

* * *

Just a few minutes later, they were done with their food- they didn't want to stay up late since they had a lot of work to do in the following morning. They then went to change into their night clothes, which didn't take long.

The first one to come out of the bathroom changed was Rex. He didn't exactly have any sophisticated outfits, instead opting for the simple shirt and pants. The color followed the consensus set by others his age, that the best color is a navy blue. He also had his shirt buttoned down up until the last one, which he left loose so he could properly breathe.

He took his seat on the bed, and lied down with his hands behind his neck, waiting for Pyra to come back.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally came out of the bathroom with a plethora of items sitting atop her hands. Her metalish costume was at the bottom of the pile, then her jewelry sat above it: her tiara, earrings and all the ether accessories surrounding her normal costume.

Her actual costume was actually rather stale compared to her old one- it didn't attract any unwanted attention on the other hand. The color of it was as anticipated- a light crimson. The shape of the dress itself didn't showcase her forms that much, instead focusing on the patterns embedded in it. A few roses were embroidered here and there, the color of them being a darker pink noticeable through the sea of red. It stretched from almost the bottom of her neck down to her knees, making the height difference inbetween her and Rex even more evident. As for footwear, she was wearing her usual comfy shoes. They were also garnet colored, similarly to the dress, but they had a few bits of white material, more prominent where the foot is supposed to stay.

Rex had never seen Pyra outside of her battle outfit, especially not in a one-piece dress, so he slightly gulped in surprise.

\- ...Wow! You look... beautiful in that dress!

Pyra slightly blushed due to Rex's compliment, as she hadn't expected to him to care all that much. She hesitantly responded:

\- Umm... Thank you, Rex. It means a lot coming from you.

She slowly neared Rex, but before collapsing onto the bed she carefully separated her clothing from jewelry, and placed them in the wardrobe and inside the end table. Once done, she got into the bed, and slowly lied down, exhausted. Rex followed by turning the light off, and sprawled onto the bed as well. Pyra then lovingly whispered:

\- Good night, Rex.

The boy then protectively put his arm around her, prompting her to slightly twist her body the other way, but stopping mid-way and turning back around once she remembered it was him. She also relocated her other hand on his cheek, slightly poking it.

Not long after, they fell asleep in each other's sweet embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooooly crap did I outdo myself with this one. Also, I didn't exactly have enough time this week to do a lot of writing(blame it on my english and 2 trigonometry tests :P).
> 
> Props to whoever got the 'You gently open the door refference'.  
> I didn't know whether to divide this into 2 chapters, but I decided against it since 1) the second chapter would be really short and 2) the first one would be cut short mid story.
> 
> Anyway, I guess thanks for all the support- I definitely didn't expect to get this much love for my first work.
> 
> (Look forward to Pyrex becoming an official couple :) )


End file.
